


a cup of chamomile

by joltik



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, Fluff, Literal Sleeping Together, Post-Canon, byleth makes edelgard take a nap, that’s it that’s the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:14:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22076017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joltik/pseuds/joltik
Summary: Byleth thinks Edelgard works too hard, and, well, she’s right.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 9
Kudos: 234





	a cup of chamomile

“Working yourself to the bone again, I see.”

On the surface, Byleth’s tone is neutral. However, Edelgard knows her love well enough to hear the subtle notes of concern and gentle reprimand woven into her tone. “Unfortunately, it cannot be helped,” Edelgard says, not looking up from her paperwork. “The work never ends, and if I leave it alone, it will just pile up even further until I’m drowning.”

“Hm. You could delegate some of it to someone else,” Byleth says, sounding thoughtful, as she picks up one of the papers from Edelgard’s desk and glances over it.

“And who else is there?” Edelgard says, smoothly taking the document back and replacing it on her desk. “Hubert? He’s even more likely to work his way into an early grave than I.”

“I don’t dare dispute that, but…”

“And, my love, for all the many things with which I would trust you, surely you understand why I wouldn’t think _you_ qualified.”

“Oh, absolutely not. _I_ wouldn’t trust myself with it either.”

“It’ll...be easier once the system is more stable. Once there are people in position in each territory who I can trust to govern fairly, and once all that is necessary is the occasional oversight. In the meantime...it’s a heavy burden, but it’s one I knew going in.”

“Mm,” Byleth says, and then she is quiet for a while. “Even so...it feels like it’s important to find time to rest, now and then. Even emperors need sleep.”

“And I do sleep. You know this.”

“You do. Just not enough.”

“And whose fault is that?”

“Sorry,” Byleth says, looking and sounding utterly unrepentant. “But I’m pretty sure that that’s only part of it.”

“Yes, well...again, it seems to be one of those problems with no practical solution.”

“You should learn a bit from Linhardt’s example, I think.”

“From Linhardt,” Edelgard says, both eyebrows raised.

“Yes. You should take a nap.”

“Linhardt could stand to take a fair amount fewer of those, I think.”

“True enough. And you could stand to take any.”

Edelgard glances at Byleth incredulously. “And when do you expect me to find time for naps?”

“Right now, for instance. It’s a warm summer afternoon, perfect nap conditions according to Linhardt.”

“You want me to stop my work and take a nap.”

“Not stop, necessarily. Put it on hold.” Byleth looks her dead in the eyes, her hand ghosting over Edelgard’s and tracing over her ring. “It can be a short nap. I’ll wake you up after about an hour, if you want.”

“And if I say no?”

“If you say no, there’s not really anything I can do about it, but it would make me happy if you tried.”

“...Okay. I’ll try taking a nap for you, if you will wake me up.”

* * *

Edelgard feels rather silly as she goes into her personal quarters and changes into her nightclothes. Byleth enters the room a few minutes later, carrying a kettle and cups.

“You made tea?” Edelgard says, quirking a brow.

“Not one of your faves this time, I’m afraid, but it’s chamomile. You should have some, I’ve heard from a very credible source that it’s relaxing.”

“And who is this source?” Edelgard asks, amused. She suspects she knows the answer.

“Linhardt,” Byleth says, matching her grin, before handing her a cup full of hot tea.

“Then I suppose I should trust the word of our very own Minister of Relaxation on this matter.” Edelgard takes a sip of the tea; as Byleth had said, it isn’t one of her favorites, but it’s mild and pleasant enough.

It isn’t until she’s getting into bed that Edelgard realizes how tired she really is. The room is still bright with the afternoon sun streaming in through the curtains, so she hadn’t been sure that she would be able to sleep at all, but the warmth and the relaxing effects of the tea start to work their magic.

She feels Byleth climbing into bed with her, and she murmurs, “I thought you were going to wake me up in an hour.”

“I will,” Byleth says. “You sleep better when I’m around, though.”

“That sounds...an awful lot like an excuse, my love,” Edelgard says, but Byleth’s arms wrapped around her do feel very nice. It’s just on the edge of too warm, the heat of the afternoon and Byleth’s body warmth and the covers above them, but in the way where it just adds to the relaxation she feels.

“Maybe that was my plan all along,” Byleth says, gently kissing the back of her neck, and that’s the last thing Edelgard remembers before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

When Edelgard wakes up, it has clearly been more than an hour. The room is dark, and Byleth is asleep at her side. She will have a substantial amount of work to finish in the morning, on top of the work she’d already have with the new day. Still, Edelgard finds herself thinking as she looks at her love’s serene, sleeping face, as she herself drifts back to sleep, she can’t find it in herself to mind.


End file.
